


Ardor

by erisjade16, GetInMelanin



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematics Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Because I can, Black!Reader - Freeform, Blow Jobs, Bucky is the king of kinky though, Cunnilingus, F/M, F/M/M, Gen, Interracial relationships, Multi, Polyamory, Smut, Steve Rogers is nastyyyyyyyy, Threesome, Unconventional Relationship, breaking barriers, i'm disgusting, it's all one ambiguous mess, non-conservative, oh well, or OFC if that's your thing, shared love, spin-off from Perfectly Ruined
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-14
Updated: 2017-08-07
Packaged: 2018-09-08 13:25:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8846776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erisjade16/pseuds/erisjade16, https://archiveofourown.org/users/GetInMelanin/pseuds/GetInMelanin
Summary: Steve was a phenom. Bucky was an enigma. She just happened to walk face first into the large gym door.A tale of three beings knotted into one love Or...How an average, run-of-the-mill woman found twice the amount of love and four times the amount of trouble in the world's most iconic, phenomenal, enigmatic super soldiersA spin-off from erisjade16s, Perfectly Ruined





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yoooo!!! What's up fans!!! So I'm back with ANOTHER new fic but this time I brought a beautiful friend with me - erisjade16!! Actually she's the mastermind and inspiration behind this short story and we've teamed up to bring you Ardor!!
> 
> She's so awesome...she's like my editing fairy godmother and I love and adore her dearly!
> 
> This'll be a short little thing, no more than 8 or 9 chapters and it will act as a booster for the both of us when writer's block has us by the throat.
> 
> Enjoy mon amie!!!

_I can do this._

Those four words were easily the biggest lie one told themselves in any given situation. Even more so when hitting the gym after a good 6 or 7 months of the gym card just sitting there, collecting dust along with several other things that would be put to use "soon.

But, now, as she tagged herself out of the humid and sweltering heat of the torturous establishment - who in their right mind agrees to an hour of short interval cardio - the reality dawned on her that she could, in fact, _never_ do this.

She noticed a pack of men, well-cinderblock bodies, walking toward her and she immediately straightened her back, pushing the ache in her thighs and calves to the back of her mind as she took a discreet breath in.

 _Stomach in, ass out,_ she thought.

In the hopes that her sudden shift in posture would be inconspicuous, she whipped her phone from her distressed denim shorts and opened her messenger app. Sent a text to her homegirl about how she hated exercise, but felt it was worth the pain and effort if she could get a glimpse of all the testosterone where the weights were located.

She slowed her pace, using the amount of time it would take to get from the turn-style to the door to type her message. She barely spared a glance at the pedestrians crossing the street, the kids sucking on popsicles and the lady struggling to get a hold of her Labrador. She chuckled and looked back down at her screen, smiling widely at her friend's response.

She sauntered on, a little pep in her step, as her phone tick-ticked away and her fingers danced on the keyboard.

-

Steve couldn't help internally cringing at just how much he fit the image of Captain America, right down to the red, white and blue of his old uniform. Patriotic, a face of hope not only to the nation but the whole world. A war hero - and a _very_ outdoorsy person.

He cringed again at the thought. It wasn't that he minded the whole image of being a role model to 5 year-olds, or being the dream man every girl wanted to take home to their parents. Who wouldnt be more than happy to call Steve Rogers an in-law? He just felt it made him seem...one dimensional. As if there nothing more to add to his character. Who he was and what he did for a living shaped him into a perpetual round peg for a round hole. The typical _all-American_ American.

It made him seem as though he had no substance.

He walked up to an ice cream stand currently surrounded by a bunch of kids who were finding great amusement in a petite middle-aged woman stumbling with a large, over-excited dog. Steve's attention and eyes fell on the entrance of the local gym. His eyebrows scrunched, a deep well forming between them as he watched a woman wearing a pair of marbled pale and dark blue denim shorts and a white tank top walk aimlessly towards him.

She was looking down, showing off a crown of dark, kinky coils piled on top of her head. Her brown skin stretched and smoothed over a proportionately built body, thighs thick and her legs and arms shimmering as the radiant sun bounced off her with every step took toward the exit.

He felt his lungs expand and his stomach drop simultaneously as he paused in front of the building, his blue-green eyes going wide.

It wasnt just her appearance which had Steve staring in stunned silence. Or the megawatt smile which graced her face as she giggled at something on her phone. Hell, she was easily one of the most attractive and alluring women he'd ever laid his eyes on in the past, or the present. There was also no denying or ignoring the nagging feeling of want and lust in the pit of his stomach watching her strut with confidence, brown thighs moving and her hips swaying slightly as she moved slowly across the white-tiled floor.

No, instead, he was staring because this stunning woman was about to make acquaintances with the closed glass door. Obviously, she was so fixated with whatever idle chat she was engrossed in that she failed to see past the trickery of the transparent glass. Now she was about to walk straight into the structure in 3...2...1...

-

It happened so suddenly and with so much force that the door rattled and shook gently on its hinges, causing people at the front desk to look up in confusion and curiosity as a strangled grunt left her throat. She stumbled two steps back, a clammy hand shot up to her forehead, disgruntled faint lines appearing across the smooth brown skin as she frowned in agitation because, _ow_!

Completely unbothered by the snickers coming from the reception desk behind her, she dropped her hand and looked at the offending object, mentally cursing fire and brimstone upon its maker. But instead of looking through and seeing the streets filled with busy bodies convening and dispersing like ants under a magnifying glass, she found herself staring up at a familiar, handsome and, much to her chagrin, amused face. His eyebrow lifted and the right side of his lips turned up as he suppressed the urge to laugh. She found it both charming and annoying.

She pouted. Her agitation turned to sass and she shifted all her weight to one foot, poked a well-rounded hip out and placed a hand on said curve. Her features were schooled into an expression of indifference but her eyes narrowed slightly and a dark, well-manicured brow of her own shot up as if to say, _Go on, laugh. I double dog dare you._

He didn't laugh. Much to her disappointment. He did open the door for her with a warm smile on his face, much to her gleeful delight.

She dropped the attitude and waltzed through, swinging her hips once more as she passed him with what she hoped was a teasing, not-so-obviously-flirtatious 'Thank you, Captain' and a dazzling smile. She held back on batting her lashes.

She strutted ahead of him slowly while he tended to shutting the door, knowing she already had him enamored if the size of his pupils was anything to go by.

Judging by that and the high level of her interest in him - along with her libido - she already knew that, given the chance, they would've fucked within the next two weeks. Twice. 

"So, tell me, are you new here, or did you neglect to acknowledge that glass doors have feelings, too?" 

She laughed boisterously.

_Make that three times_. 

"I didn't know Captain America had started advocating for inanimate objects until today. What are you going to do, Captain? Cuff me?" 

She gave him a sideways glance from underneath her soot-coloured lashes and a naughty lopsided grin before offering a hand and introducing herself. 

Steve took her soft hand in his, swallowing thickly and trying to steady the quickened rise and fall of his broad chest, choosing to pretend he didn't hear the underlying sexual hint in her sentence. He was willing to bet those plump lips which were turned up into a smirk would do sinful things to any man brave enough to want her. And _oh boy,_ Steve Grant Rogers was brave! 

He fell in line with her and the pair slipping into very casual, yet comfortable conversation, as though she was an old flame he'd just bumped into. He even forgot where he was originally headed! And if he did care about it, he clearly couldnt be bothered right now. He already had a great place in mind for their first date. And, no, tempting as it was, his bedroom was _not_ in the cards. Yet. 

"We've been talking for the past 12 minutes about everything except you. Tell me more about yourself," he said. They were now sitting on a park bench, the sun painting the sky incandescent orange and red as it began to tuck itself into the tree tops. 

She smiled thoughtfully before speaking. "Well, I've given you my name, haven't I?" 

She turned her head in his direction though she kept her eyes focused in front of her, catching what little she could of his reactions from her periphery. 

Steve caught on to her game very quickly and started purposely toying with the hem of one of her tank top straps. His fingers barely touched her skin but the heat of her still emitted from underneath the thin fabric. His voice dropped an octave.

"Ok. Let me rephrase then." His hand started sliding down her back as he scooted closer and leaned in close enough to really feel him, his breath against her shoulder and neck. 

"I like ya. A lot. And I'd like t' kiss ya one o' these days. Maybe fuck ya, too. But, I can't do either if I don't walk away with ya number by the end of this conversation." He sat back and watched in satisfaction as she squirmed slightly and shuddered at his blunt and flippant confession. 

She sat in silence for a moment, gathering her thoughts and quivering ovaries into order and under control before giving a cocky smile and chuckling nasally.

"Well, if you plan on doing all those things to me then, I suppose, I should give you my number, huh?" she asked.

Steve draped a solid arm behind her head on the back rest of the bench and relaxed into his seat, huffing a laugh of his own. 

”All you have to do is name the day and time and look pretty - I'll worry about the rest." 

From the corner of his eye, Steve could make out the swell and rise of her cheeks, her lips pulling back to show a row of teeth sparkling in the dim light of the sun. He could only hope she'd smile this way all the time. 

Despite what most people believed, Steve Rogers _was_ a man of substance. Hell, there was more to him than just red, white and blue, and he was more than happy to show her. 

Whether she'd be willing to take on another challenge though, remained to be seen.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing Bucky!!!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter my people, yaaaaay!!! 
> 
> Sorry it took a while. Also, thank you so much for the support yo, erisjade16 and I REALLY appreciate it!
> 
> Enjoy xx
> 
> ** WHOA!!! Ok...for whatever weird ass reason, this chapter posted funny. Lol. I've fixed it! It's the correct length and has all the necessary line breaks etc. Sorry about that guys!!!

Bucky's blue eyes shot open, instinct combined with the advanced physical abilities of a super soldier, to hear the distant sound of whistling as Steve approached the front door. His gaze fell on the clock overhead - 7:37.

Steve was late. His tardiness even surpassed that of the random days when his friend returned late to their large apartment, because he had some other kind of errand to run. Not that he was worried about his best friend's safety; he just couldn't shake the feeling that, on this particular later than late occassion, Steve was up to something. Nothing unsavory but, rather, an unpleasant, unimpressive ace up his sleeve.

Bucky sat up from his resting spot on the large pleather sofa, his hair tousled and hanging around his broad shoulders. He smacked his lips drily, tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth. _God_ , he needed a drink. 

Pressing his palms on his hard thighs, cybernetic arm clicking and whirring, he pushed himself to his feet and lumbered into the kitchen. He slammed the cabinet door shut at the same moment the door in the other room closed.  He winced, not because of the resounding bang, but because Steve had scolded him once after Bucky nearly gave him a near heart attack. He had forgotten his own strength and shut the shower door hard enough to shatter the frosted glass. 

But, surprisingly, his best friend said nothing. Only strode into the kitchen, whistling a chipper tune, with a noticeable glint in his eye. 

"Evening, Buck! What's up?"

Bucky's eyes narrowed, his gaze following his best friend, who was now rummaging through the fridge. Steve was in too much of a good mood. 

_What the fuck did he get up to?_

"You're unusually late, Steve. I damn near fell asleep waiting on you and my plums." 

As Bucky placed his now empty glass down on the counter, he noticed the stiffening of Steve's body, the rigid straightening of his spine and, right then, Bucky _knew_ without having to see the frown on Steve's face, nor the crinkling of his pale eyebrows. 

"You forgot. Again."

Hearing the agitation in his friend's voice, Steve closed the fridge door, and casually leaned against it with his arms folded and one leg crossed over the other.

"I have a good reason this time!" 

"Oh, yeah? What is it, Steve? Let me guess," Bucky said as he raised his flesh index finger to his chin in mock thought. "Ah! You had to save a cat from a tree? No? Uuhm...some lady couldn't choose between crushed velvet or suede stilletos and you just had to help." 

Steve rolled his eyes and shook his head, throwing his hands up in defeat.   Began to walk away.

" _Or_ -" It was  the pitch of Bucky's voice, heightened in amusement, that had Steve pausing, a blonde eyebrow raised. "You were making out with Toucan Sam again." 

At that, the former Hydra assassin laughed, while Steve pouted, putting on his best bitch face. 

"Sam kisses better than you, ya jerk. And it was only that one time!" 

Bucky continued to laugh at the Captain's expense and, out of sheer exasperation, Steve exited the kitchen with a huff. He could hear the faint sound of Bucky slapping his knee, still laughing. 

_Fucking jerk._

He had just flopped down onto the couch when Bucky walked in a moment after, a look of amusement still on his face. Surprisingly, for someone who had to filter through lost memories and deal with the shadow lurking in his mind, Bucky could be quite childish sometimes. It, oddly, gave Steve a great deal of comfort.

"Aw, come on! I only kid Stevie!" 

Bucky ruffled his blonde hair before making his way to the couch opposite Steve. He sat down heavily, swinging his legs onto the unoccupied seats as he stretched his arms above his head and yawned. 

"Although, Sam being the better kisser, he said. I can think of several girls who would beg to differ."

Because his eyes were closed and his right arm was resting lazily on his forehead - the fingers on his left hand tapping rhythmlessly on his stomach - Bucky didn't see his best friend perking up, or the small smile on his face. 

 _Speaking of girls_...

"I met someone t'day." 

The tapping halted, index and middle fingers joining the others resting on his body. 

Before he could say anything, Steve continued. 

"Well, actually, I was on my way to the grocery store to get your stupid plums." 

Bucky opened his eyes.

"I just happened to be in the right place at the right time when she walked into the glass door."

The brunette snorted.

"Let me guess, you opened the door for her and laid the Captain America magic on her real thick?" 

There was a hint of sarcasm in Bucky's tone. His arm was now lying beside him and the robotic fingers resumed their tapping, a soft, mechanical hum accompanying the sound. Steve found it somewhat relaxing. 

Bucky sneered. "It must've worked, considering you came back without my damn plums."

Steve caught Bucky's side eye, but he kept talking anyway.

"She's a really great girl. Funny, too. And, in my opinion, she sounds like a real riot in bed." 

Steve could see the cogs turning in Bucky's mind - processing, calculating and evaluating. 

The last time hed heard Steve speak about a girl like this, hed made the mistake of listening and agreeing to go along with his plan. 

Everyone knew the two men had grown up practically joined at the hip. They were thick as thieves and neither one of them did anything, no matter how trivial, without the other. Of course, there came the time when Steve thought he'd tragically lost his brother forever.

And, then, years later, hed found out Bucky was alive.

After the fuck up that was Project Insight, followed by Ultron's tyranny, Steve had undertaken the task of finding the lost cause that was Bucky, who had been roaming around aimlessly, but free from Hydra's clutches.

Steve had searched tirelessly. But, eventually, hed found him.  And despite a series of obstacles and stumbling blocks - namely the revelation of who was responsible for the death of Tony's parents, which had resulted in bitter in-fighting amongst _The Avengers_ \- the rip in their bond had mended with time.

What everyone _didn't_ know was that both men had always had an unusual penchant for sharing. _Everything_. Specifically women.

While this was something very rarely practiced, they were careful to keep it brief. In the beginning, theyd agreed that neither of them wanted to maintain these "flings" long enough for them to become anything serious, simply because theyd never found anyone who was compatible for the both of them. 

This was especially so with Bucky, who was more inclined to engage from a sexual perspective rather than emotional.  He didn't feel it necessary to put much stock into finding a suitable girl. 

Honestly, he'd just wanted to fuck and get that damn voice and dark, shadowy frustration out of his system for a while. And, for a while, it seemed to work. But, soon, Steve's feelings began to surface more often - Bucky blames Sharon Carter for that - which gave way to an uncomfortable kind of tension between the two males. It also made for very awkward break-ups, in which Bucky, completely detached from his emotions, would have to sit in silence while Steve rambled out some long-drawn reason for why the relationship had to end.

However, there had been one relationship in particular where Steve had begged to consider trying to be "all in". It had been a failed bid to get him to be more secure in his feelings and to, perhaps, put the monsters in his head to sleep. 

So, he'd agreed. And it had been a disaster. Though he would admit that, sexually, the girl had been a perfect match. She'd given her undivided attention to both of them.  Shed even had a bigger preference for going down on Bucky. She was street smart and a freak. Bucky liked that. 

But, because of the emotional dynamic that Steve had insisted on, it was mandatory that Bucky connect with her both intellectually and emotionally. This is where he discovered that he and Steve shared _completely_ different tastes and ideals when it came to long-term partners. 

He tried to click with her. Tried to open himself up and delve deeper into her personality in the hopes of finding _something_. In the end, it failed. She'd opened up for Steve and shut Bucky out. 

Bucky had tried.  He'd really, truly tried.  But, the whole thing felt handicapped.  Lopsided. His best friend was the happiest Bucky had ever seen and, where Steve thrived within the tiny petals of a blooming romance, Bucky had withered. Feeling inadequate and dejected, Bucky had slipped back into his emotionless shell, while the whispers filled the hollowness.

_You're a mindless machine. A soldier. A monster._

_Monsters can't be loved._

_You can't be loved._

Needless to say, they'd ended up agreeing to lower the number of trysts and to never let it go past casual sex and companionship. Steve agreed that the minute any feelings began to scratch at the surface – this, obviously, applied more to Steve - they'd make a smooth exit. 

Bucky returned from the complicated vault of his thoughts in time to hear...

"-and I think you should meet her." 

 _I knew it!_ Bucky thought. _I fucking knew it!_

Without actually saying the words, Steve was low-key trying to rope Bucky in on his new conquest. That unexpected ace he was hiding was now showing on his sleeve. 

"Fuck-ass NO!" 

It came out from under his metal arm, which had replaced his human one on his forehead, cooling his warm skin. His eyes were closed again.

"Why the fuck not?!" Steve exclaimed in obvious irritation. Bucky dropped his arm and sat up slowly, planting his socked feet on the rug as he leaned his elbows on his knees, his hands dangling between his legs. His eyes, now grey under the shadows cast along his face, were piercing. Almost accusatory.

"You remember the last time we tried this?"

Steve sighed. Yes, of course he remembered. "I remember, Buck. How could I not? But, I _really_ like her! A lot. And I know you would, too." 

Hearing the tone in the blonde's voice, Bucky sat back and relaxed into the soft comfort of his seat, preparing to listen to Steve's lecture on how this would be good for him, and how it would help him talk more about his feelings and blah, blah, blah...

"This girl, _man_! I wish you could see her! Hear the way she talks - like I'm any old guy you'd see in the street. I mean she fuckin' walks into the fuckin' door and acts like nothing happened! Sees me tryin' not t' laugh, and she just stood there, in these ass huggin' shorts, and looked at me like, _'I wish you would!_ ' 

Steve exhaled sharply. I dunno, Buck! There's just _something_ about her that intrigues me." 

Bucky's eyes widened and his head reared back in surprise. Steve had never been this excited, hands flailing dramatically, barely taking a breath in between his sentences and his blue eyes bouncing around the room. Bucky found it amusing.  And slightly unsettling. 

His warm hand came up to rub the stubble around his wide lips. Suddenly, he felt bad. It wasn't that he wanted to play the guilt card. He was just very reluctant to reopen the box of emotions which had overwhelmed him once. But seeing this new maniacal and excited Steve - suddenly he couldn't bear the thought of extinguishing the bright twinkle in his best friend's eyes. 

This wasn't to say he was convinced. Not in the slightest. He would always be wary. Hesitant.  

However, Steve also hadn't outright _said_ anything about him being romantically involved. 

Maybe she'd be the best thing that could happen to Steve. 

Bucky clenched his jaw as he heard an unintelligible murmur in the corner of his mind. _Or, she could be the best thing that happened to the both of them._

A dull ache began to throb behind his eye sockets, prompting Bucky to squeeze his eyes shut and pinch the bridge of his nose. He huffed heavily in pained frustration. 

He was overthinking things. Not good.

"You okay there, buddy?" Steve's eyebrows furrowed in concern as he leaned forward and lowered his head, trying to peer under Bucky's hand. "Hey, if you don't wanna meet her, it's fine, Buck. I'm not trying to put you under pressure or anything."

Steve's incessant talking wasn't helping. 

"Steve?"

"Yeah?"

"Just shut up for a second.  And bring me some aspirin!" 

Bucky heard shuffling as Steve got up and headed to the bathroom, returning a moment later with a glass of water and two pills in his hand. He offered Bucky the aspirin first, watching his brown hair flop this way and that as he threw the painkillers into the back of his throat, taking three huge gulps of the water, some of it dripping out the corner of his mouth. He leaned his head against the back of the couch as the echoing whispers began to fade, the malevolent shadow retreating into the folds of his brain. The headache was all that remained and, after taking a steady breath in and releasing it through his nose, he spoke.

"So. Woman of your dreams, huh?" 

A relieved smile began to creep over Steve's face. Perhaps his plan would work after all. He nodded his response.

"Great!" Bucky's head lifted off the plush cushion, shifting his body a little so he could place the glass on the polished, dark coffee table. He clasped his hands together and looked his best friend dead in the eyes.

"When do I get to meet her?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmmm...  
> So Bucky is curious...but skeptical. What do you guys think is gonna happen when he meets the lead??
> 
> Don't forget to comment and kudos y'all!!
> 
> Peace and Bacon Grease xx


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and the lead finally go on a date!   
> Also, can we all agree that Toluwa is a different breed of petty?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright now, everybody scream with me - NEW ARDOR UPDATE!!!! 
> 
> I'm so excited!! We're excited!! We hope y'all are excited too!!
> 
> Here's a new chapter, the story is starting to take shape, indulge yourselves my lovelies!!  
> Enjoy xx

"Okay, bitch, out with it." 

A freshly waxed eyebrow was raised as a tall, impeccably dressed, dark-skinned woman in a dusty pink Ferragamo pantsuit gracefully sat down, flipping jet black locs over a slim shoulder. 

She looked down at her own outfit - worn out jeans from college, white Converse sneakers and a plain black t-shirt which had been the unfortunate victim of a failed DIY croptop YouTube tutorial.  Well, it wasn't _that_ bad. Though it wasn't until she actually looked down at her chest that she noticed _which_ failed item of clothing she'd chosen to wear. 

The bold red, white and blue shield with its trademark star in its center, emblazoned on the fabric, was unmistakeable.  She felt heat rising in her cheeks as she swallowed and looked at her best friend, who was resting on her lean forearms with the pettiest smirk on her face.

She'd lost count on the number of occasions in which she'd wanted to throttle that stupid smirk off her face. She narrowed her eyes.

"First of all, shut up. Secondly, hello to you, too, Toluwanimi.  I'm great, thanks for asking," she said, rolling her eyes as she took a refreshing sip from her long island ice tea. 

Toluwa eyed her friend from across the glass table, watching her wince a little from the bitter aftertaste of the alcohol. They'd been friends for at least 3 or 4 years - neither of them managed to keep an accurate count, they'd had way too many good times to care - although when placed side-by-side, one would find them to be a rather odd pairing considering the very obvious differences in height and skin tone, not to mention dress sense. 

Although physically, Toluwa was the complete opposite of her friend, they both possessed a unique kind of sass, wit and confidence that explained why the two women got on better than butter on toast.

Toluwa sucked her teeth indifferently, resting back in her seat just as the waiter placed her drink in front of her. The friends sat in silence, staring each other down. Finally, the beautiful Toluwa crossed one long leg gracefully over the other. Of course, she was wearing impossibly high stilettos with heels thinner than the waiter's pen. She sighed nasally.

"So, last night... I'm assuming it went very well because-" she motioned at her friend's chest. "Was Cap's dick _that_ bomb, he turned you into a fan, girl?" 

Toluwa sipped gingerly on her drink as though she'd only asked for the time, her eyes sparkling in shady amusement as she looked across the table at her friend while taking a long sip from her cherry-red drink.

Dammit, Toluwa could be so ungovernable! 

Yes, she was a fan of the Captain, but that was long before she'd even met that tall, defined glass of righteous milk. Whatever was hidden beneath the form-fitting suit that clung deliciously to his lithe hips and firm ass, had yet to be confirmed. Though, she hoped it would be soon. The thought of Steve's broad shoulders, hard muscles and large hands holding her in place, as he had his way with her - in said suit - had her thighs clenching in excited arousal. She couldn't resist the urge to shift in her seat, managing to find some friction. 

She looked Toluwa dead in the eyes, smiled sweetly at her friend, and very promptly gave her the middle finger.  

The thought of Steve doing wondrous things with his head between her legs wasn't even completely gone before she began to reminisce about the simple, yet fun, night they'd shared together. With a small smile, she took a deep breath, stirring the ice in her drink, and began to relive the final moments of the evening spent with him.

~~

_The sound of bowling pins clattering, cheerful laughter, teenage pop music and children chattering away excitedly, clashed together creating a cacophony of noises that reverberated around Steve. His bright eyes watched his date made to nail yet another strike. He looked on as she lunged forward, bending over to release her glittery green bowling ball down the aisle. The rumbling sound of the heavy object combined with the sight of her slightly exposed thighs peeking from beneath the hem of her skirt stirred up something fierce in the pit of his stomach._

_She let out an excited '_ Whooo _', spinning on her heels to face him with a bright smile on her face and a glimmer in her eyes._

_"Eat it, Capsicle!"_

_"Unbelievable," he mumbled, shaking his head with a small lopsided grin on his face, both at the use of Tony's trademark moniker, as well as the ass whooping that she was handing to him. Now, he owed her a bubblegum milkshake and $20. Not that he minded._

_"Ok, I concede! You are the ultimate, champion bowler - but only between the two of us," he added pointedly._

_She laughed. Called him a hater and graciously slipped past him as she made her way over to the exit, giving him a fond pat on his firm chest, silently appreciating the taut muscle of him beneath her palm. In fact, to be quite honest, she only did it because she wanted to feel if his body was as strong and solid as it had looked underneath the navy blue stealth suit she'd seen him wearing on the television once, during a press conference. To her secret delight, her theory was correct._

_Once they'd traded their bowling shoes for her high-heel ankle boots and his classic Chucks, the pair headed towards her favourite ice-cream joint._

_They were seated across from one another, Steve wordlessly observing the young waiter, who seemed a little jittery, as she ordered the bubblegum milkshake hed promised her. He could think of several other ways in which he could show he accepted defeat, all of which involved his fingers, or head, occupying her thighs. His eyes flitted down to her luscious lips, now set in an impatient pout, and never had he found himself itching to touch anything as badly as he wanted to touch her full, mauve-coloured lips._

_And,_ man _, he wanted to touch them so badly!_

_He could imagine the two of them with their eyes closed, him mapping the crevices of her mouth and occasionally pinching the lower lip she was now worrying between his teeth. He would make sure to leave her breathless, her lips and pupils swollen, because he couldn't get enough of the taste of her lip balm or favourite milkshake._

_Perhaps, there would be a second set of lips kissing up her spine and nibbling at her earlobe. Maybe a polished, silver arm humming quietly as it wound around her waist, trapping her flush against another's chest while the hand worked the bundle of nerves at her core. Steve could almost hear a haze of affectionate Russian whispers drawing a hot, shaky breath from her._

_Thankfully, he regained focus before his body could betray him. His date was now staring off into space, her eyes wide and glazed over, only blinking every few seconds. A brown hand was curled under her jaw, bent fingers nudging her cheek and causing the side of her lips to jut out a little, further accentuating the shape and pout of them. She was gazing at a fuzzy haired little Maltese, white as snow with big black eyes, trotting around the place. It finally found a friend in a little girl no older than 4 years old with hair just as fluffy and soft._

_The cute little furball yapped at the little girl, jumping up to lick her coffee brown face. The youngster squealed and fell over in a fit of laughter, laying on the floor. This only spurred on her furry friend, who was now attacking the little girl with warm, wet flicks of his tongue all over her face, causing her to giggle herself breathless._

_She didn't even notice she was staring, not until the sound of a camera shutter went off. When her eyes blinked, and realization of where the sound originated from dawned on her, she looked back at Steve to find he was already pocketing something._

_Her eyes narrowed._

_"Did- you just take a picture of me, Steve?"_

_He shook his head, but the amused gleam in his blue eyes told her otherwise._

_"Oh my God, delete it!" she exclaimed, leaning over the table in an attempt to reach into his jacket pocket._

_"No way! The look on your face is priceless." Steve leaned away from the playful swipes at his shoulders and chest. "If it makes you feel better, I'm saving it as my wallpaper."_

_"_ No _, you douche!" When she attempted to lightly swat at his cheek, all the while laughing, he grabbed both of her hands and, without thinking twice, leaned over to meet her lips the rest of the way._

_It wasn't anything but a small, innocent peck, but for the two of them, it caused enough sparks to leave a tingle on his lips, time freezing and the rest of the bustling and busy noises surrounding them drowned out._

_She lingered a moment, committing the faint smell of his aftershave to memory, before pulling away and planting herself in her seat firmly, her head spinning from the shock and wisps of lust clouding her mind, blurring the corners of her vision. She could've sworn he tasted like pomegranate. She wanted to kiss him again, just to be sure._

_"Holy shit," she sighed_

_There was a low chuckle from Steve. "I hope that's good. I'd hate for you to miss out on the rest of the show."_

_She said nothing, unable to trust her voice as the thirst had become real, manifesting itself in the depths of her groin. Her mind could register the super soldier heat of one hand stroking her forearm and another clasping her hand. She looked at him before gazing down in bewilderment at the half empty milkshake sitting in front of her. Her lips were still tingling and the sound of blood rushing in her ears wasn't helping. He called her name, the timber of his voice and the frustratingly pleasant caressing of her arm further churning several explicit images and thoughts in her mind._

_When she looked up, she drew her bottom lip between her teeth, because his austere blues, which tracked the sultry movement with great intensity, were slightly darker._

_His Adams-apple bobbed as he swallowed whatever crude words were trying to push their way past his throat; he'd save them for when she was pinned against his wall, and he was fucking her until her toes curled._

_"I guess we should get going.  It's getting late."_

_Once they left the ice-cream bar, the two wanderers trekked around aimlessly for what felt like an eternity. Although they were walking side by side, Steve allowed her to take the lead as they wove in and out of the small crowds of people littering the sidewalk._

_He had expected her to walk towards the parking lot where she'd parked her car and met him earlier on but, now, he noticed that she'd been taking him further away in the opposite direction - towards the park._

_The warmth of her bare shoulder gently grazing Steve's covered arm caught his attention, and when she slipped a cool hand into his, curling her delicate fingers to brush over his knuckles, Steve felt an immense rush of relief wash over him. They continued like this for a while, sharing the occasional, random comment here and there, but mostly happy to remain silent as chirping crickets filled the cool night air and the smooth sound of jazz music played off in the distance._

_They eventually reached the bench on which they'd sat a few days ago, when they'd first met, when Steve was tempted to touch the sun-kissed skin underneath the fabric of her top. He remembered how he threw caution to the wind and let his feelings be known, to which she had reciprocated. And, now, here they were._

_A gentle breeze tousled her hair slightly, a coily strand catching on her thick, mascara coated upper lash. Steve moved to pluck her hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear, but he kept his hand on her cheek, his thumb swiping once over a highlighted cheekbone, which seemed radiant under the moonlight._

_Her eyes held stars and danced on his face, taking in every feature, bookmarking the way his eyes gazed longingly at her and his lips parted slightly as a silent exhale slipped from them. When she smiled and lifted a hand to rest it on his wrist, Steve took a step closer and could feel time slow down, heart beat dulling and seeming to count down the seconds leading up to the familiar feel of her lips on his again._

_She closed her eyes and he slanted his lips to fit perfectly with hers. It was just as chaste as the first one, and she leaned in more and darted her tongue out to coax his mouth open, except he was already making to gain access into hers. Their tongues slid against one another and the kiss burst with heat, like fireworks and solar flares showering the Earth. Steve gripped the back of her head and his other arm circled her waist, pulling her closer, as she wrapped her arms around his neck._

_This was even better than he'd imagined. She_ definitely _tasted like bubblegum and something candy-sour; he tasted like the lavender and vanilla creme brulee ice-cream he'd finished during the lazy stroll to the park. He explored her mouth, their teeth bumping gently as she also sought to memorize these lips, the soft and sensitive areas that drew out gentle hums and made the hand on her lower back tighten every once in a while._

_They remained this way, until the oxygen in their lungs burned out and she gently pulled away, Steve unconsciously chasing after her retreating lips. Her chuckle blended with the crickets which continued to sing and the bright moon beamed down on them._

_Steve smiled and stole one, two, three pecks from her before dropping his hands to her waist and swaying her to the rhythm of the blues song playing from a distance somewhere behind them._

_"Can we make this our first official kiss? I kinda needed a do-over," he said, and she laughed. It was slowly starting to become his favourite sound._

_"Only if you delete that picture."_

_She looked up at him hopefully. He gave her a charming grin and dropped his head to kiss her lips again. He would never get tired of the supple flesh moving against his._

_"No."_

_He smiled when she scoffed and muttered a rather audible, 'asshole', under her breath. He chuckled and brushed his hand over her hair._

_"Hey, that's Captain Asshole to you, miss. In case you didn't know, when boring Rogers is sleeping, I come alive in the night time."_

_She snorted and then burst into a series of giggles. "You got that from_ Starboy _, didn't you? Such a weirdo."_

_Steve draped his jacket around her shoulders, before taking her hand and slowly making their way up the slight incline towards the music._

_"Coming for the king is a foul cry."_

_She doubled over and laughed again. Upon recovering, she gently hit his arm._

_"I'm tryna put you in the worst mood, ah_."

~~

Toluwa snickered. "Y'all are like little cheer pets in the corner. Just real fuckin' adorable...it's gross." 

"You're sounding a little pressed, boo. You mad or nah?" 

As her friend narrowed her eyes into two slits, pouting her lips, she sucked on her straw, looking up at Toluwa from beneath her lashes, which she batted excessively, amusement twinkling in her eyes. Things fell silent between the two women briefly a mischievous grin crept up on Toluwa's face. 

_Uh-oh._

After sipping gingerly on her scarlet, sour berry beverage, Toluwa sat back in her seat and sucked her teeth again, popping her tongue as she began to speak.

"Cap is a freak." When all she got was an incredulous, "what the fuck" look from her best friend, she laughed before continuing, "I'm telling you! You hear and see the way he orders people around in that sexy ass tone? He a freak, girl!"

She thought about Toluwa's reason for a second, before squaring her shoulders and shrugging, her face calm and expressionless - a stark difference to the crude excitement bubbling deep inside her belly. She didn't 100% agree with what her overly sexual and imaginative friend was saying; in her mind, Steve would probably be a versatile lover, bordering between being submissive and dominant, depending on the mood. But that didn't mean she couldn't dream of him indulging in a secret bondage kink, right? 

"The fuck you know anyway?"

"Oh, enough to know a low-key freak when I see one! And, his muscles aren't the only thing that's big about him." She winked and laughed again, when her friend scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Y'all gonna bone each other until the next presidency!"

"Whatever girl, you wil'in', she said, shaking her head and waving her hand dismissively. Toluwa's shoulders shook in mirth.

"Bet!"

No longer able to hold in her own amusement, she chuckled and threw the straw wrapper at her still laughing friend. 

"Fuck you, Toluwa!" 

If the previous night was any indication of what was to come, she was in for a ride! One complicated, yet interesting, hell of a ride.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh la la, isn't this interesting? Tell us, do you think Steve has it bad for the lead, or nah? What about Bucky? You think he'll feel the same once they finally meet? So many questions aaaaaaaahhh!!! 
> 
> We hope you guys are enjoying this fic thus far, EJ and I are working overtime to make this as fun and as enjoyable as possible. Also, sorry for taking so long, I was experiencing a bit of a funk, but now, I'm on a roll with no butter   
> P.S. I was totally bopping to Starboy when I wrote the date scene LOL
> 
> Don't forget to leave kudos and comments, if not, Bucky eats Steve's sandwich and didn't even leave an IOU note, smh


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some more Bucky and Steve...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SURPRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISE!!!! 
> 
> At the risk of leaving some of you incensed, I completely forgot about Ardor, see my life =') =') 
> 
> Anyway, not even gonna waste your time dilly-dallying...
> 
> Enjoy!!! x

Steve was reclined on one of the couches with his eyes closed, when he heard two sets of footsteps echoing on the tiled floor. He couldn't have been bothered to lift his head up to see who had joined him in the quiet ambience of the morning.  That was until the large flat screen went turned on and the XBox jingle resonated loudly inside the room. 

Turning his head to crack an eye open, he found himself looking at a smug Tony Stark sitting in the seat opposite his, the trademark white game controller in his hands. 

Steve could literally see the snark dripping from him.

"You seem a little tired Capsicle. Late night?" A sly smirk crept over Tony's face. "Or were you dreaming of a beautiful maiden who came to sweep you off your feet and ride with you into 'fucking ever after'?"

Yep! Tony was in the mood for snarky, dry banter today. Steve reminded himself to a) make sure Natasha swore on her life to never divulge his social activities with anyone else on the team other than Bucky or Sam and b) take his Saturday morning naps in his and Bucky's apartment from now on. 

He was about to respond with a half-assed come back of his own when he heard Bucky scoff. 

"Bet it was both."

Steve looked down the slim bridge of his nose from where he lay to see his friend perched on the arm of the couch on which he rested. His grey-blue gaze flitted up briefly to watch Tony's gameplay, before going to the phone in hands. From his angle, Steve couldn't quite tell what Bucky was so engrossed in but, whatever it was caused Bucky to completely ignore Tony's irritated grunts and quiet mumblings about snipers and how overrated they were. Obviously, Tony was complaining about the game while simultaneously trying to get a rise out of Bucky. 

Steve stretched a long leg to poke Bucky on the side of his hip with his foot.

"Whatcha got there, Buck?"

Without hesitation or even a sideways glance, he mumbled, "Nothin'. Just lookin' at somethin'," and shooed Steve's legs out of the way so he could sit comfortably on the cushiony seat.

Tony opened his mouth to, no doubt, say something that wasn't remotely funny, when the loud, wailing of the emergency alarm stopped him. There was some commotion outside the common room, and all three men immediately snapped to attention, including Bucky, who was on his feet in a matter of seconds. 

Sam came rushing in, already securing his wings to his back.

"We got trouble,. Nothing we can't handle though." 

He looked at the two super soldiers and nodded towards the exit. 

"You two and Wanda are with me. We'll assemble in the briefing room." 

And with that, he was out, Tony following close behind to see them off. 

Steve and Bucky exchanged a look of assurance, before the brunette assassin gave a resolute nod, and headed purposely out of the room, pocketing his mobile phone as he moved. 

Steve rubbed his face with a resigned sigh. 

_Why can't bad guys just take the weekend off for once?_

***

By the time they got done kicking ass and taking names, the stars dotted the velvet black sky and the moon was shining brightly. The streets were somewhat empty except for the occasional car cruising down the road outside Steve and Bucky's quiet apartment building.

Steve was back on the sofa, except this time, he had two cuts on his face - one of which was taking longer than usual to heal - and a pretty nasty bruise on his face. 

He was well and truly beat, wanting nothing more than to change into a pair of gym shorts and crawl into bed, except Bucky was being extremely difficult, demanding Steve put ice on the purple-blue blemish blooming on his face, while he focused on stitching up Steves split eyebrow. Even though Steve reminded him for the hundredth time, that they both had regenerative abilities, so stitches weren't necessary.

Just as he began dozing off, his phone dinged. He contemplated ignoring it until it dinged again, and then a third time. By the fifth ding, Steve pinched at the pressure building between his eyes, and eventually chose to sit up, reaching for the offending piece of technology and sliding the screen to unlock.  There was a series of text messages waiting for him. All of them from the woman with soft, honied skin and lips tinted blue and tasted like a bubblegum milkshake. The feeling of her lips would be forever burned into his memory, they were so ripe, so soft and luscious and full, that he wanted to nibble on them nearly everyday.

**Hey!**

**I know it's late but...**

**Saw what happened on the news and your ass getting thrown in a circle**

He snorted and grinned.

**I was jsut wondering if you're okay?**

***just**

**Stupid ass typo's -_-**

**Anyway, just checking in!**

Steve proceeded to type his response, wanting to let her know he was okay and to thank her for the concern.

"That's quite the shiner you got there, Steve."

Bucky shuffled his way over to where the blonde was sitting, an ice-pack and small first-aid kit in hand. He set the box of medical supplies on the coffee table and turned to solidly plant the ice-pack on Steve's face with a little more force than was necessary. 

"Hold that there, while I work on the lovely scar ruining your face," he said in response to his friend's disapproving grunt.

Ignoring the blue-eyed glare thrown at him, Bucky went to work on threading the surgical needle, before sliding it through the deep red cut marring Steves pale brow. 

About a quarter of the way through, Steve's phone dinged again. Bucky gazed down inquisitively, momentarily pausing on the half-sutured flesh, to catch a glimpse of the screen lighting up before quickly dimming and finally going dark. 

Steve sensed the brief pause in Bucky, choosing to remain silent and allow his friend to voice his thoughts first. He was hoping Bucky would raise the topic of this new potential lover, ask Steve about their date, mention the picture - something. They were quiet, the only sound the quiet hum of the vents filtering cool air into the room. It was almost deafening. When Bucky still didn't say anything, only choosing to return to tending to Steve's cut, Steve began mulling over whether to break said silence, and if so, how. 

Two stitches in and Bucky finally spoke.

"Is that her?"

Steve wasn't sure whether he was talking about the text that just came through, or the picture he’d snuck of her during their date at the ice-cream bar. 

She didn't know it, but Steve had sent the image to Bucky and was already stuffing his phone back in his pocket by the time shed realized hed taken the picture. Now that he thought about it, Bucky's broody ass had never got back to him on that. He wondered if that was what hedd been so engrossed in on his phone when theyd been called out.  

He pushed his thoughts to the back of his head and answered his friend.

"Yeah, it is," he said, letting his eyes fall shut. Steve schooled his face into a neutral expression, hoping to somehow quell the light bubbling of anxious impatience as things fell silent between them once again.

Bucky nodded. Steve's vision a dark orange as his eyes remained shut. Two seconds later, Bucky let out a smooth chuckle.

"What?" Steve asked, wincing a little because he had furrowed his eyebrows in curiosity, forgetting that someone was busy sewing one of them shut. 

Bucky continued to laugh a little as he neared the end of the now sealed scar. 

"Who woulda thought little ol' Stevie from Brooklyn was so smooth?" 

He outright laughed when Steve opened his eyes to give him an unimpressed look. Bucky was still smiling when he leaned over to grab a pair of scissors from the first aid box. 

"I'm not saying you don't know how to woo the ladies, Stevie. But you already got her hitting you with late night texts? You must'a done something real special!"

"You done, jerk?" Steve chuffed good-naturedly, questioning both Buckys ribbing and his patchwork with the needle, his tone more amused than annoyed.  

Bucky snickered again as he sat back to admire his handy work. "Yeah, I'm done." He stood up to collect some stray items.  Put them back in the kit and shut it.  

Bucky started for the door, grabbing some of Steve's loose change as he walked past the.

"Hey, hold on now, where the fuck are you going?"

Feigning oblivion to his pals question, Bucky strutted over to the door and opened it. With a polished hand resting on the frame, he turned to face Steve with a glint in his stormy eyes and a smirk widening his full lips. 

"You sure found us a delightfully charming and beautiful little dame, Rogers." 

He winked and, before Steve could even get another word out, Bucky was gone.

~

_Tonight is definitely a junk food and movie night._

Fingers tapping over the touchpad of the laptop in front of her, her head bobbing in time to the music playing softly in the background, Friday night found her sitting on her bed, lounging in her pajamas.  The cool night air blew in through her open windows, dancing over the bare brown skin of her arms and legs.

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand as she scrolled through the list of the movies that had been released over the summer, and a crooked smile began to twitch at the corners of her lips at the thought of who it could be.  

 

Multi-tasking between keeping an eye on the horror movie she'd just selected and shoving a handful of candy in her mouth, she leaned over, dangerously teetering over the edge of the bed, to hook her phone with her fingers. After a brief moment of struggling to right herself, she snuggled back into the mountain of pillows propped up behind her, and unlocked the screen. 

It was another message from Steve. Now the twitch at her lips became a toothy smile. Because of Steve's leadership of The Avengers team, taking on hundreds of villains, and their dogs, as well as the delicate intricacies   tonight had been the first time they'd communicated with one another since their date. 

After seeing the breaking news report about a disturbance in the city, and watching YouTube clips of him and his team throwing bad guys around left, right and center - valiantly saving New York and its citizens _again_ \- she decided to check in on him. She refocused her attention on responding to his text. He was asking her what she was doing.

After replying, she tried to go back to watching the film, but the image of his grave, yet handsome, face - still a sight to behold despite the bruises and cuts - led to the memory of Steve's lips, moving painfully slow and deep against hers, resurfaced. The faint, yet addictive scent of his cologne, the sweet taste of him, they were rather pleasant distractions from the scary scene playing out in front of her.

At that very moment, almost as though he were reading her mind, her phone buzzed, muffled slightly by her plush bedding, and the object of her desires popped up on her screen, this time as in incoming call. She pounced on it, nearly losing a few brain cells as a result of slamming the device to her ear.

"Hello, hi!"

Steve huffed a chuckle. _"Hey. Thought I'd call instead of going back and forth over text. See if you're still alive, and not quivering in fear beneath the covers."_

Snorting, she scrambled to get to the edge of the bed so she could stretch the kinks out of her legs, pain now throbbing in the joints of her knees and turning numb within the muscles in her calves. She flexed her feet and wiggled her toes.

"If I could choose to be quivering beneath anything, it would probably be you." 

There was a very foxy smile starting to play on her lips when she heard him exclaim "oh!" on the other end. He did say he came alive in the night time, and how could she forget that filthy mouth when they'd first met and he had asked for her number, exercising sheer discipline and strength so she wouldnt pounce on him. Dirty Steve seemed fun.

 _"You know, that can easily be arranged,"_ he said in a flirtatious and low, teasing tone, _"just say the word. I'll have you screaming louder than the girl currently doing so in the background."_

LAWDT!!! Yep, she definitely liked Dirty Steve, in all his uncharacteristically foul mouthed glory. She didn't realise how hot under the collar she was, until a rather chilling breeze swirled through the window and attacked her exposed skin.

Resisting the urge to shiver, she got to her feet and strolled over to it, shrugging the phone to her ear with a hunched shoulder, as she continued talking to him, the banter shifting towards casual conversation now. 

While she focused on sliding the window shut, she opted to balance half of her butt on the window sill, which jutted out just enough for her to turn her body towards the blinking city light view outside.

"On a more serious note, I'm a little relieved to know that you're okay. I was worried," she stated.

_"Only a little, doll?"_

She raised a curious eyebrow at the old-fashioned term of endearment. 

_"I took a pretty serious hit to the face, and got stiches above my eye, only for you to be a little relieved? Wass' a guy gotta do to impress ya?"_

She burst into uproarious laughter, her warm, brown skin pressing against the cool surface of glass while her eyes burned with tears that promised to spill down her cheeks, which was cramping from the open mouthed, pearly smile that split her lips. 

Steve was audibly laughing on the other end, a pleasant and deep sound that rolled up from deep within his chest, and poured over into her ear through the receiver. Before she could even stop herself, she blurted out, "I miss you, Steve."

A brief pause on Steve's end allowed her to further elaborate. "I mean, I know we just saw each other not too long ago, and swear I can still taste that ice cream on my lips, but, you know - I miss you." 

She took a breath in and released it slowly, closing her eyes a moment as she sagged further against the closed window. Honestly, she didn't regret letting her feelings be known. She liked Steve, and it was obvious the feeling was mutual on his part, so why not? 

There was a light shuffling over the phone, before he cleared his throat.

_"I miss you too, which is why I called. I really, really wanted to hear your voice."_

She giggled and he yawned, probably stretching those deliciously strong arms over his head and lazily blinking his tired, half-open eyes, now dim in the soft glow of the night. He excused himself with an amused laugh. _"That, and I personally wanted to say goodnight."_

"Aw, how cute! Seems Steve Rogers hasn't lost that 1940s charm after all. Nice fellas such as yourself deserve to be rewarded, if you get what I mean." The playful lilt of her voice had returned.

 _"Don't go teasing me now, doll. These sheets were washed yesterday."_ This time there was a sexy, dangerous quality to his voice. 

Her core flared.

"Goodnight, Steve." 

 _"Sweet dreams, Honey_." 

By the time she'd tapped the red button to end the call, there was a warm sensation blooming in her cheeks and she was smiling like the cat who stole the cream. 

Shaking her head, she looked out at the shimmering city lights. She realized that the few minutes she had spent speaking with Steve had left her feeling more at ease with him. She was enjoying getting to know him - he wasn't just some serious Captain, who only smiled when it was warranted and walked around like some self-righteous, pompous douche. He had layers. 

And she was curious, intrigued and itching to peel them back until she reached the centre. Eventually, she yawned herself, and remembered that she was in the middle of watching a movie before Steve's call. She hopped to her feet and turned to pull the curtains closed, a dopey smile still playing on her face.

Turning to head back to the comfort of her bed and Reese's cups, she missed the quick, but sharp and bright shine of silver cutting through the darkness in the street below.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooooooh!!! Things just got real interesting!! Iss'gonna get lit in due time my lovelies, I promise!!
> 
> Also a quick pointer for those with a more a fine eye for detail: I know Steve may seem out of character - but the guy is into polyamorous relationships and sharing one woman with his best friend... so, uhm, of course he's gonna be a dirty, foul-mouthed old man LOL
> 
> But other than that, I've got nothing else to say except THANK YOU FOR 2k+ hits and ALL this LOVE!!! EJ and I are getting our everlasting life!!! 
> 
> Don't forget to kudos and comment y'all!!  
> Peace and Bacon Grease xx


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You're gonna like this chapter...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!! This is gonna be so gooood!!

_Apartment 216._

Three months ago, she would've never imagined herself standing outside _this_ particular apartment on a Wednesday night, wearing an off-white, mid-length dress with a slit higher than the staunchest conservative's standards. 

But here she was, staring hard at the gold-plated numbers and hoping that the bottle of red wine in her hand would suffice as a gift - especially since neither of the men behind that door would feel the effects of alcohol long after her third glass. She took a deep breath and slowly released the air from her lungs, switching the wine bottle from her right hand and tucking it under her left arm.

Tonight she'd be meeting Bucky, Steve's best friend and the closest thing Steve has to family and  familiarity since he woke up from the ice. She'd been pleasantly surprised, enthusiastically answered yes when Steve broached the topic of inviting her over to dinner with his roommate, but excitement aside there was a part of her that wanted this to go smoothly - that hoped Bucky would like her, like the idea of his best friend finding a special someone with whom to share his terribly dry jokes. No pressure, but she felt this was important. Something akin to meeting her boyfriend's parents, and granted she wasn't overly nervous about meeting the man that once oppossed his lifelong best friend, she had a strong desire to make a good impression. Whatever transpired throughout the evening would prove to be a key turning point in hers and Steve's relationship.

Smoothing her hand down the front of her dress to flatten out the ruffled fabric bunched around her hips, she raised a hand to wrap her knuckles on the hardwood surface. 

The pencil thin heel of her stiletto click-clacked rhythmically as she waited for Steve to open the door, the corners of her lips curling when she heard a gruff male voice exclaim, "got it!" Another moment passed, the apartment complex corridor filled with the echo of her slender heel to concrete while the warm night air tickled her bare skin. She casually rolled her shoulders back, fixing her posture when someone on the opposite side of the 8-panel wooden door began to scramble with the brass doorknob, rattling it some before finally managing to turn it and swinging the door open.

A pair of blue eyes - icy grey-blue eyes - connected with hers.

_Well damn._

"Hi!" she exclaimed, a dazzling smile slapped on her face as she held her hand out and introduced herself. "If my history serves me well, you must be the handsome James Buchanan Barnes. Pleased to meet you."

It took a moment for him to respond, to gather himself and stop his gaze from lingering too long on the sultry dark brown shade smoothed across her full lips, the way her eyes gittered beneath the dim light cast above her form. The warmth and slight squeeze in her firm handshake.

"Pleasure's all mine," he said, returning her smile with a grin of his own and catching her unawares when he easily pulled her in to lean down and deliver a swift kiss on her right cheek, before stepping aside and motioned for her to enter. 

Ever the gentleman, Bucky offered her his metal hand, revelling in the light pressure of her thin fingers pressing into his palm, gratefully using it as leverage to support herself as she raised her heeled foot up and placed it on the doorstep. The dangerously high slit in her dress stretched and gave him a generous view of her brown thigh, the skin taut and glowing radiantly when the teardrop sweep of muscle flexed as she stepped up. She flashed Bucky a smile of gratitude before gracefully sashaying past him, the scent of almonds and something else, something he couldn't quite place his finger on - warm and earthy like autumnal leaves - lingering after her as she retreated down the narrow hallway of their apartment. He took a deep whiff and found that he liked it, liked how each slow step leading her down the hallway caused her waist to swing and her hips to sway subtly beneath her sheath dress. 

"Steve?" She called, peering into the living room as her eyes darted around in search of Bucky's flat mate. 

"Your lover's in the kitchen," she heard Bucky teasingly say, glancing over her shoulder to find him swaggering up to her with an equally amused smirk before placing his flesh hand in the low of her back. He was so close he could practically hear the deep, languid breaths passing through her lungs and the lazy rhythm of her heartbeat. It fluttered faintly in his ears, the thrumming hum travelling down the length of his arm and tingling pleasantly where the rough warmth of his palm bordered between sweet smelling flesh and soft fabric. Bucky guided her further into the room and towards one of the sofas, offering to take her bottle of wine into the kitchen as she set her bag on the coffee table - glass and steel, a seemingly perfect reflection of the man standing before her - before gracefully seating herself. 

"Pinot noir," he mumbled, reading the label on the bottle before lowering his hand and looking at his guest, "I'll go pour us a glass and let Steve know you're here." 

She relaxed into the comfort of the cushions propped against the backrest, eyes focusing on Bucky as he made his way towards the exit - the strong line of his broad shoulders moving beneath his shirt, how his metal hand gleamed when he ran it through the dark mop of his hair. There was no denying it... Bucky was _hot_. Super hot. And yeah, maybe she was still feeling the heat of his hand searing into her back, but that was because of his super soldier heat, right? It had nothing to do with the boyishly charming smile on his face or how the colour in his eyes shifted from blue to grey when he looked down to acknowledge her choice of wine. 

In the welcoming solitude of the room, she allowed her mind to wander. Bucky and Steve were polar opposites, yet they complemented one another perfectly. Where Steve was vanilla ice cream and summery, cerulean skies with sunlight piercing through evergreen trees, Bucky was icy rocks swirling in rich dark liquor on a stormy, winter night. One broke through the other's grey clouds after thunderous showers; alternatively, Bucky was silver stars dotting blue-black night - the full moon before Steve's golden brass, crack-of-dawn sunrise. Shit, if she'd met Bucky and Steve simultaneously under more unconventional circumstances, she would've gladly fucked them both. Yes. Both men. In the same room. 

She chuckled with a shake of her head and muttered, "get it together, crazy."

"Talking to yourself, doll?" 

With a wide-eyed start, she looked up to find Steve leaning his tall frame against the wall. Just as handsome as ever, if not more, with those perfectly full lips drawn into an amused smile. He pushed himself off the wall and casually made his way towards her, pulling his hands from deep within his pockets and offering to help her to her feet. Standing face to face and so close to her, Steve smoothed his hands up her arms before engulfing her in the furnace-like heat of his chest, looping strong arms around her shoulders and bowing his head to draw a deep breath in the crook of her neck.

"You smell real pretty tonight," he mumbled, eliciting a small giggle when his breath tickled her sensitive skin. God, he'd missed her! It had been two weeks since they had last been together, Steve and Bucky adhering to Avengers call of duty that saw them on a cross-country recon mission from Romania to Italy and closing off with Germany. Their only means of communication being cellphones and a shitty connection with a curious Bucky, listening in on their conversations, trying not to snort too loud when she referred to Steve as a 'Giant Golden Retriever'. It was also during those two weeks that Steve propositioned to make up for lost time with a home-cooked dinner for three, adding that she'd finally get to meet Bucky.

Loosening his hold on her, Steve planted a lingering kiss to her left cheek and then stepped back, raising her hand high in the air. "Give us a twirl, doll face?"

She canted a shapely eyebrow at him, "what the fuck for?" 

"Because," he pulled her in close by the waist, his hand marking a hot, curved path down to her ass to give it a gentle squeeze, "I haven't seen you in a long time. Then you show up all dolled up and smellin' as good as ya look... " he leaned in and took another deep whiff in the junction of her shoulder. "I can't help that you're the most beautiful woman in the room." 

Before he could take a nip of her soft skin, Bucky cleared his throat from behind the couple.

"I hope you're hungry, doll," he states, nodding in the direction of the kitchen, "Steve and I worked overtime to make sure you stay fed tonight." 

Before she could open her mouth to inform Bucky that she'd skipped lunch throughout the day in order to make room for whatever delicious meal they intended to serve her, Steve leaned forward to murmur, "make sure you leave room for dessert."

It was the way in which he raised a pale brow and curled his lips into a cheeky grin that had her patting his cheek with an amused chuckle, "I'm the _only_ woman in the room you dirty, old man."

~

They were winding down in the living room, three ramekins now emptied of the sweet, velvet dessert that was Steve's creme brulee - cappuccino atop a gooey salted caramel layer this time.

"Is it me, or does Steve have this weird penchant for creme brulee?" Steve turned his head to look at her. She was sitting on the three seater across from him, nestled against the armrest with her shoes off and her legs tucked comfortably to the side. She looked so at ease, as though that particular corner was meant for her occupation, and he could easily imagine her relaxing there with book in hand - perhaps with Steve sharing her little corner while Bucky caressed a bare, brown leg. "Remember, you had an ice cream recreation the night we went on our first date?" She wrinkled her nose in thought before adding, "Lavender flavoured, I think."

"Yeah, that's Steve alright," Bucky mumbled, casually holding Steve's accusatory glare before shifting his cool gaze to their guest reclined into the snug padding of their couch. When he managed to catch her attention, Bucky continued. "The punk likes a bunch of weird stuff; lavender, creme brulee, ice cream..." He trailed off when a lazy lopsided smile began to tilt her full lips. The two-shades-darker nude lipstick had long since faded and her eyes were warm and half-lidded, gleaming with mirth and the hazy after effects of the half empty bottle of red wine long forgotten on the kitchen counter. With her dark hair freed from its slicked back style to fall wildly around her face and her naked lips looking just as warm and soft and as tempting to touch as her skin, Bucky found her even more attractive. He licked his own lips, sucking in a deep breath and steadying himself when he got more of that warm autumn-nutty smell he'd come to enjoy. "How about you doll? Any weird interests you'd like to share?"

"Well," she said, eyebrows raised as she cast her eyes up in thought. If the brief moment of silence was anything to go by, she probably had an intriguing list of weird and whacky shit both Steve and Bucky would be left to discover as they got to know her better. She hummed, tapping a finger on her bare thigh in thought before her face lit up as though a bright lightbulb went off. "My best friend tells me I have an obscure obsession with Mettaton bu-"

"Wait, Mettaton from Undertale? The video game?" Bucky interrupted excitedly, his intrigue evident in the way he straightened up and leaned forward, forearms pressed into his thighs as he eyeballed her from his seat across the living room. 

When Bucky was first introduced to the slightly complicated world of technology, nothing really seemed to hold his interest besides Sam's mp3 player and iPad. 

Then he discovered Tony's Xbox. 

With his sharp observation skills, seamless hand-eye coordination and a brief confrontation with Stark after having crushed one of the controls in his robot hand, Bucky was not only an adept first-person shooter, he was also very well-informed on the various gaming platforms and franchises; always up to date with the latest releases and even keeping track of downloadable content.

So when she confirmed that, yes, it was indeed the very same boisterous robot - popular for his loud exclamation of _"OH YESSS!_ " - from the Soldier's favourite video game, she immediately had his full attention. Bucky dove straight into an in-depth conversation regarding the graphics of some game or the other historic war genre, the two of them exchanging their views surrounding eSports tournaments.

"It's just an easy way for lazy ass kids to make millions of dollars," she argued. "All they ever do is wake up, order pizza and flex their thumbs over a PlayStation controller."

Steve, who had absolutely no idea what they were taking about, silently observed the exchange between the two. Though he would never understand his best friend and his recent interest with Undertale, the fact that they both shared that kind of selective taste proved a great catalyst for the pair to develop something of a close friendship.

He was about to comment on how both her and Bucky were giant nerds, then thought otherwise when she swiped her phone from the coffee table and invited Bucky to sit next to her. Taking that as an opportunity, Steve excused himself and stepped outside onto the balcony, leaving them to their own devices.

Bucky, having noticed the departure of Steve, refocused his attention to their guest. She was sitting upright now - still resting in her comfortable little spot - but her feet were now planted firmly on the plush carpet and she was pleasantly close to him. He could feel a spot of heat emanating from the strip of bare skin exposed by her dress' slit, the same way the hairs on her amrs stood on end as she felt the chill of Bucky's metal temper her skin. She shifted, not uncomfortably so; in fact, their shoulders were touching as she leaned over to show Bucky a game that was a personal favourite of her own.

"Mortal Kombat X," Bucky read. "You have a thing for glory and gore, doll?"

He slid his eyes from the phone in her hands to connect with hers, hair falling to one side as he cocked his head curiously and plastered that infuriatingly devilish smirk on his face. It caused her own lips to twitch and stretch up, mighty chuffed with the fact that not only was she privy to top secret knowledge of Bucky and his secret love for all things video games, but they both had a rare and unusual love for Undertale. 

When she thought about it, Bucky's arm vaguely reminded her of Mettaton and once again, she found herself feeling a little giddy in his presence. Especially when those stunning blue-grey eyes bounced around her face when he addressed her, flitting to her lips upon opening her mouth to speak. 

"I've always loved Mortal Kombat. Call of Duty is also pretty close to my heart, although I feel they've lost track over the last two releases..." And so she went on, the smooth cadence of her voice filling the private little space they'd created for themselves. Bucky only sat in what seemed like attentive silence. 

His demeanor was that of someone who took a genuine interest in what she had to say - which he did. But he couldn't get past thinking how everything about her seemed rich and warm and sweet; honied voice and sun-kissed skin, almond and autumn notes intermingling with his spicy-oak and gunpowder. Throughout most of his life; over the last few years reacquainting himself with the new world and Steve and through what little he could remember before becoming The Winter Soldier; Bucky had his fair share of women. Most were mere flashes in the pan, others proved a little more significant, but none were as captivating as the woman who was sitting next to him rambling on about Battlefield 1. It wasn't just her effortless ability to toggle between exuding beauty and sex appeal, she was also confident. There was a natural charisma about her, a sort of whimsical air that captured his attention the night he camped ouside her apartment building,memorising everything about her while she prattled away on the phone.

That bit of attention had churned itslef into a desire to keep her talking, Bucky wanting to know as much about her as possible just so he could spend a little more time committing the movement of her lips and the feel of her muscles shifting beneath her dress to memory.

"You know, your arm kind of reminds me of Mettaton," she said.

Bucky pulled himself away from his thoughts, only catching the last few words of her sentence. He cleared his throat, straightened his spine a fraction. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Your arm," she repeated, "it reminds me of my beloved robot from Undertale. Although your arm is no where near as juvenile in its design." She sat back slightly to analyse the limb, teeth catching her lower lip while her eyes raked over Bucky's exposed forearm. Then, without warning, she out to grab his wrist, placing it palm up in her lap while she traced the patterns and grooves demarcating the metal plates of his arm. Her thumb rubbing back and forth over the small chips and chinks of the armour, muttering, "yours is more intricate and the mechanism is really fascinating. It's honestly a work of art and a piece of engineering genius." She looked up at him from beneath a curtain of thick, dark lashes. "Dare I say, it's way _cooler_ than Mettaton's?"

Bucky's eyebrows shot up. "Oh!" he exclaimed, pretending to scope the area for curious ears before leaning in close and whispering, "doesn't that make me your new obssesion then?"

"Bucky." She stared wide-eyed at him. The sound of her breath halting in her chest and her lips parted as though she wanted to say something but was too shocked to say it, lead Bucky to believe he may have jumped the gun with that one. Perhaps pushed his luck just an inch too far. "Let's not get crazy. I've got a giant, slobbering Golden Retriever out there, who'll turn you into his personal chew toy."

And then, just as easily as she'd managed to make things seem awkward, she gave him that smile - the one she had on her face the night Steve called - and relieved all the false tension, stifled giggles transcending into peals of laughter.

 _Oh, she's good!_ He thought.

Bucky joined her in laughing at his expense. A full, round and rumbling kind of laughter that sent butterflies fluttering furiously this way and that in her stomach. A set of bright, perfectly even teeth revealed themselves beneath a smile so wide, it crinkled the corners of stormy greys that turned a brilliant ocean blue. 

While the two of them sat there laughing, the pressure of her hand still wrapped around Bucky's wrist, Steve took a quick glimpse through the balcony sliding doors, grinning with a small sense of triumph when he saw that Bucky hadn't flinched nor removed his hand from her lap. She had definitely warmed up to his best friend, so much so she'd scooted across the couch and was practically glued to his side, her right arm unconsciously entangled with Bucky's shiny left. He was certain the scenario unfolding before him involved the two of them being big nerds, somehow tying Buck's cybernetic arm into their madness. 

It was still far from the deep, triple-knot bond he and Bucky hoped to share, but this was progress. Seeing her laugh with Bucky just as much as she laughed when she was with Steve was promising. 

Long after she'd said her goodbyes - a long, tight hug for Bucky and the sweetest of kisses near her car for Steve - that dual flicker of hope began to grow a little bigger and burned a lot brighter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!! Sorry to have kept y'all waiting for so long!! Ardor is a social kind of fic that requires planning and hashing and rehashing because I want it to be PERFECT!!
> 
> I'm so fucking excited about where this story is going and FINALLY we've introduced her to Bucky and the triangle is slowly starting to take shape!! Oh boy!!!
> 
> If you liked this chapter show some love. As a Gemini, I insist lol

**Author's Note:**

> Sooo there you have it!! Chapter 1 of the thirsty trash cave that is mine and erisjade16s imagination =P 
> 
> Once again this can stand as an OFC or Reader-Insert. I encourage you to read it no matter what color, creed, nationality blah blah blah. It's gonna be soo good lol
> 
> Grey Areas updates will be up as soon as I sit still long enough to proofread and edit lol.   
> Seabass and Flowers may take a while though, I'm going through the MOST with that fic and need a moment to think about where it's going.  
> Musical Smut...I mean Chairs, will be up tomorrow or Friday (Supernatural stans get READY!!!)
> 
> Anyway, enough blabbering, hope you enjoyed this chapter and looking forward to many more. Don't forget to comment and kudos (not doing so will result a thieving vampire stealing Dean Winchester's shirt...and he'll have to walk around shirtless) 
> 
> Peace and Bacon Grease xx


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